Hellfire Club
by Xaphrin
Summary: (AU) Raven has been blessed with the gift of speaking to the dead, but as she spends more time in the cemetery, she realizes that there are a few secrets that should have stayed underground. A nearly forgotten chapter of the notorious Hellfire Club is threatening to raise demons in her friends' home, and she must find a way to stop it. And why won't the gardener leave her alone?
1. Chapter One

**Hellfire Club**

)O(

Jason leaned against the door frame, looking out at the graves almost floating like little stone ships on the waves of a green sea. He took a long drink of his coffee, frowning as the bitterness slid down his throat. It tasted burnt and stale, as usual. You would think that he would switch coffee shops after so many cups of bad coffee, but he never quite got around to it. Early morning sun was just beginning to peek between the branches of the trees, casting glittering shapes on the grass and warming the dew, extinguishing the last threads of silken, silvery mist from between the headstones. It so was peaceful and serene.

It was too early for this shit.

He rolled his eyes and ducked back into the small, stone gardener's shack, looking for the list of notes Herbert had left for him, grumbling some _choice _words under his breath. How had he managed to get this god-awful shift? Oh. Right. _Seniority._ Of course, out of the three other people who worked on the grounds of Bramblewood Cemetery, _he_ was the one who had the least amount of seniority. So, while Herbert was getting his hip replaced or a new heart or robotic arms or whatever, Jason was stuck with the early morning shift, while his coworkers got to keep their late afternoon shifts. Jason ran a hand through his bed head and groaned, he didn't even bother showering this morning.

_Notes:  
- Start with trimming before it gets too hot  
- Annuals need to be planted around flagpoles and mausoleums before June 10__th_  
_ - Mrs. Henderson has requested a burning bush be planted next to her husband, approved forms are in the office with Denise._  
_ - There is one burial today (June 6th) and two tomorrow (June 7th), so make sure the grounds around section 11A and 7C are taken care of before 11:00 am_  
_ - Mr. Jenson keeps putting flamingoes around his daughter's headstone, please take them down and (tactfully) remind him that they are not approved decorations. We will accept applications to plant special foliage if he chooses._  
_ - Look out for Raven. _

Jason reread the enigmatic last statement, brow furrowed. Look out for ravens? Why in the world would he be worried about a bunch of birds? There were birds all over this damn place. Sparrows, crows, finches, and even _ravens. _He put the letter back down on the workbench and took another long swig of his terrible coffee, staring through the warped glass in the window to the rest of the cemetery. In the distance he saw one of the other early shift workers picking through the equipment shed to get to the mowers.

The place felt different in the morning, calmer almost, but there was a strange buzz to the air. Energy sizzled around him like a million small, invisible flies, and he kept looking through the headstones as if he was going to see something that wasn't supposed to be there. Shaking his head and finishing his coffee, he stepped outside the shack. He needed to stop staying up so late and watching bad B-movies on TV. His imagination was starting to get the better of him. Picking up the tools he needed to get started on trimming, he moved through the sea of headstones and monuments toward the path. He heard one of his coworkers finally start the mower, breaking the unusual energy and silence of early morning.

He reached into his pocket and popped his headphones into his ears as he moved down the hill, tucking his gardening shears under his arm. The sounds of Metallica drowned out any residual energy or silence from the patrons around him, putting him full into "work mode". The sun spilled through the trees and rested on his back, reminding him that summer was quickly approaching. It was going to be an unusually hot day today, and he didn't envy the funeral that was coming in later. Crouching down to his knees, he stopped in the middle of the winding, cobblestone path in a less fashionable part of the cemetery, and reached out to trim an unruly bush that had started to creep into walking space.

Through the blaring electric guitars and James Hetfield's raspy voice, he thought he heard shouts. But, it was too early in the morning for someone to be here… right? He glanced up just in enough time to see a black running shoe fly directly at his face. The next thing he knew, there was a soft body falling over him as they both tumbled ass over tea kettle to the pavement.

"Shit!"

"Damnit."

He lay there for a moment, staring at the unruly branches that still crept toward his arm and sat up, clearing his head of stars. He gingerly touched what was going to be a bruise on his left cheek and turned to see his attacker lying on the pavement behind him. "What the hell...? Didn't you see me there?"

"Good morning to you too. And no, I didn't." She groaned and forced herself to sit up, hair falling into her face as it pulled out of her ponytail holder. Her dark eyes flashed at him and a snarl peeled her lips back. "_Sorry_, I don't usually see anyone on this path at seven in the morning, I wasn't anticipating a rogue gardener standing there."

"Well... you should watch where you're going, you know. Whether it is seven in the morning or not." Jason dusted himself off and sat up, looking down at the person sprawled out over the payment. She was a petite little slip of a girl with a sturdy build and nice legs, her hair pulled back into a now disheveled ponytail, strands of her blue-black hair falling into her eyes. If she hadn't nearly tried to knock his head off his shoulders, he might have called her cute (in that best-friend's-awkward-little-sister way).

"Likewise." She ran her fingers through her mussed hair, taking a second to wipe a smudge of dirt off her forehead. Her eyes drifted over his body before looking back up at his face. "You're not Herbert."

"Astute. No, I'm not." Jason picked up his gardening shears, thanking the universe that he didn't land on them, and stood up. "He's out for a few weeks. I picked up his morning shift, starting today. I'm Jason." He debated offering to help her up, but decided against it and wiped his muddy hands on his jeans.

"I see that. Herbert never starts in this section of the cemetery today. He's normally farther towards the west, around the Knight mausoleum." She crawled to her feet, stretching out her legs and ankles to get out any kinks her fall might have created. She leaned forward and re-tied her shoes, breaking eye contact with him. "You threw my schedule off."

Jason rolled his eyes. Jeez, what was with this girl? She was blaming him for being clumsy _and _she knew Herbert's gardening schedule. Weirdo. "_Sorry_. I didn't realize that I was impeding on your life's schedule. I'll make sure I check that before I make any drastic changes to my gardening plans."

"No need to be so rude." She stood up again, and Jason watched as a stream of blood started to spill down the front of her shin from her knee. She pretended not to notice, but he could see that she wasn't putting any weight on that leg. Great, now _he_ was starting to feel like a jerk.

"Who are you?"

"Raven." She checked a few scrapes over her arms before looking back at him. "I run through the cemetery every morning."

_Look out for Raven._ Jason resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. Clearly this wasn't the first time she had pummeled someone with her carelessness. "Weird place to run."

She shrugged. "Better than a treadmill."

Jason glanced down, still staring at the gash ripped across the pale skin on her left knee. He winced and returned his stare to her eyes. He knew that it wasn't exactly _his _fault that she fell and hurt herself, but he knew he should have at least helped her out. "You scraped your knee up pretty badly. I've got a first aid kit and some bandages back at the shed... why don't I help you out?"

He watched color spread across her cheeks and she turned around, looking at one of the tombstones with a glare. She cleared her throat and took a step back, waving him off. "I'm fine. I'll just head back to my apartment and fix it up myself. No need to worry."

Jason raised an eyebrow and glanced from her to the empty space behind her before jerking his thumb behind him. "The shed is right there. It's not even fifty feet away." He pointed to the small, stone shed hidden under an old oak tree. "It's not like I'm taking you to the hospital or anything. I'll just patch you up and you can go back to running as if we never met."

"Um... okay. I guess." She followed him back up the hill, her eyes darting between the headstones as the blush grew darker on her cheeks. Jason stared at her, eyebrow raised.

"You afraid of the dead or something?" He opened the door to the shed and led her inside. "It's not like they can hurt you."

"You'd be surprised..." Raven muttered under her breath.

Jason glanced over his shoulder at her. She really was a weirdo. He picked through the mess covering the floor, finding the first aid kit hidden under a stack of request forms, and pulled out disinfectant and a bandage. Silence spread between them, making Jason acutely aware that they were alone in the small shed. He cleared his throat and moved closer to her. "So, you run through here every morning?"

"Yeah. It's... _quiet_. I like that."

She didn't really seem to trust her own response, but chose not to elaborate on her words any farther. She moved toward the edge of the small shack and sat down on a stood, and Jason felt obligated to crouch down to look at her knee. He pulled back the edge of her running capris, wincing at the wound. It looked like a tiny bear had attacked her, all teeth and claws. Great. Now, he _really_ felt bad.

"And you talk to Herbert?"

"Every morning. He always asks me about his wife."

Jason glanced up at her, eyebrows knitting together as he tried to remember the few conversations he had with Herbert. He never mentioned a wife, or children for that matter. "Huh. I didn't realize he was married."

"Oh!" Raven looked away, glancing out the window, breaking eye contact with him. "Well, it's kind of a strange situation, but his wife and I talk occasionally. Ow!" Her knee jerked back and she glared down at Jason, lips pursing into a frown. "That hurt. At least warn me when you are going to do that."

"What are you, a kid? Stop being so whiny. It's just a little alcohol." He rolled his eyes and continued to clean up the wound, listening to her wince through the pain.

Raven bit down on her lower lip, looking away. "So… you've started working here?"

"About a year ago. I usually work the late afternoon or evening shift. Herbert likes coming in for the morning, but honestly, I don't know how he does it. It's way too early for me." He blew gently on her scrape, trying to soothe the pain. The energy around her changed and he glanced up to see a dark blush stain her cheeks. Jason stared at her knee and realized the intimacy of what he was doing, and quickly stopped.

He cleared his throat and rifled through the first aid kit for something else. "He's never mentioned you before. I mean, you would think he would mention a runner every morning. We don't even really get that many visitors. It's usually pretty quiet here... I mean, it's not like the tenants make a whole lot of noise."

"If it's any consolation he never mentioned you either." She winced again as his fingers brushed against her tender skin.

"Relax, I'm almost done." He unwrapped the bandage and pressed it to her knee, making sure to secure the adhesive tightly against her skin. He smiled up at her and stood up. "There. All done. Now, you can go back to running and I can go back to work without having you bleed all over my path. We both win."

"Thank you." Raven pulled the leg of her capris down and offered him a small smile, fidgeting with her hair. "Sorry I kicked you, by the way. I didn't mean to smack you in the face. And you're right... I should have been paying better attention."

"It's okay." He laughed and shrugged. "I wish I could say it was the first time I've been pummeled by an angry foot, but it's not."

She chuckled. "You'll have to let me know the story behind that some time."

Something about her comment made Jason realize that she anticipated on running into him again (although next time he hoped it wouldn't be as literal). He smiled back at her. "It's not all that interesting, I promise. Let's just say it involves a large amount of beer and one really pissed off ex-girlfriend." Much to Jason's surprise, his anger had completely vanished and was instead replaced by something warm and fluttery in his chest. He shifted slightly under her stare, knowing he hadn't felt this way in years. "And you? Is this the first time you've gone and wailed on some poor, unsuspecting gardener?"

She chuckled again. "Yes. Sorry you're the one who had to have the inaugural face-smacking. I'll try to avoid it next time, or aim for something not so important."

Unconsciously, Jason's eyes darted to her left hand, looking for any evidence of a ring. Her hand was clean and clear, not even a potential tan line. That was good. Jason paused and reeled back at his own thoughts. _That was good_? She had nearly run him over and knocked his head off his shoulders, and he was checking her out and flirting? What was wrong with him?

"So, are you okay now?"

"Yeah… thanks. Anyway… I better get back to my run before work. Thanks again." She gave him a half-hearted wave and darted out of the shed, running down the aging, cockeyed steps and back to the path. Jason watched her go, eyebrow raised as she moved through the headstones towards the pavement. It didn't matter how cute she was, she _really_ was a weirdo.

)O(

Raven glared at the woman following her down the path. "You didn't have to make that so damn awkward, Tilly." She rubbed her forehead and slowed her pace. "'Why don't I help you out… of those clothes'? Are you _trying _to make this uncomfortable for me?"

Tilly laughed and raised her hands in defense. "I was just _informing _you what I would have done if I were in your position. All alone in that tiny shed by yourselves? Mm-mm. He's got shoulders that could carry the weight of the world and a chest you can wash your laundry on." Her eyes softened, as if she was remembering something. "You know, he normally works the late afternoon shift, and sometimes it just gets _too hot_ for his shirt..."

Raven stumbled slightly, color filling her face again. "He's just a guy. Besides… I don't need to be wrapped up in some stupid romance. Not now, and not ever. I've got too many other things to worry about than some guy."

"Darling, let me tell you something…" Tilly pressed a finger into Raven's chest, filling her veins with icy coldness. "You are not on this earth forever... you should have a little fun once in a while." Tilly glanced over her shoulder, looking back at the shed on the hill with a smile peeling across her lips. "And he certainly looks like fun... besides, when was the last time you had _relations_?"

Raven stumbled again, but chose not to respond. That was _none _of her friend's business.

"Thought so." Tilly correctly interpreted her silence, looking smug. "You and I have had _many _conversations, sweetheart, but we have never actually talked about your love life. Maybe you don't have one."

"Maybe I don't _need_ one." Raven pulled her hair back up into a pony tail, ignoring her friend's stare. "I am perfectly content to be by myself. I enjoy what I study, I have friends, and I have a cat. I don't see what else I need out of life."

"How about a date?" Tilly paused and sat down on a headstone, fiddling with her high heeled shoe and adjusting her hat. "I haven't heard about you talk about a guy since that Garfield fellow… and he didn't seem to care all that much about _you_. Just his… what did you call them, video games?"

Raven sighed and debated starting to run again, but decided against it. Tilly would follow her to the edge of the cemetery and talk until her ears fell off her head. Trying to run away from Tilly wouldn't do her any good. She settled on staring at the headstone she was sitting on, reading the dates off in her head.

"Garfield wasn't a bad guy… he was just interested in other things." Raven gave a halfhearted shrug, ignoring the stare that Tilly gave her. "I wasn't one of those things. There's nothing wrong with that, I can't _force _him to like me. Besides, he was one of my students, I couldn't really have a relationship with him even if I wanted to. At least not until he graduates."

"Hasn't he been in school for _years_?"

"Well… he's not exactly the most _studious _person I've met. He's failed my history class twice now, and his GPA is down-right rotten. But…" Raven kicked at a stray stone, her mind starting to wander with the silence that surrounded her. "He was nice to talk to. It's better than having my TA chatter on about her boyfriend all the time."

Tilly clicked her tongue and shook her head. "He's just a boy, now look at that…" Tilly waved her hand back towards Jason, who was now walking back down to the bush he was trimming previously. His headphones were back in, and he seemed oblivious to Raven. Tilly grinned at her friend. "_That _is a man. He wouldn't let video games come between you and him."

Raven rolled her eyes and started back down the path again, ignoring her friend's voice. "He is _also_ just a guy, Tilly. I don't need to be worried about all that… _nonsense_." She waved off her friend. "I've got enough troubles without having to be bogged down with anything else." She sighed. "Why are we talking about me anyway? You know I hate talking about me. There are a million other more interesting things to talk about than me."

"I beg to differ. I think you are simply _fascinating_." Tilly chuckled.

"I wish you would find something more interesting to do than worry about me." Raven shoved her hair out of her face, rolling her eyes.

"Tilly, I wish you would stay away from my spot. You're making the whole place look _dreadful_ with that tacky hat of yours." A robust, squat woman smacked Tilly's hand and shooed her off the tombstone and onto the pavement. Tilly rolled her eyes but moved away from the squat woman. She looked at Raven and waved, letting her rings glitter in the morning light. "Good _morning_, Raven! It's nice to see you up and about this morning." Her eyes drifted down the bath towards Jason, and she smiled. "And I see you met Herbert's replacement."

"Good morning, Gladys." Raven leaned back on her heels. "So, why didn't anyone tell me about Herbert? I almost creamed that poor guy while I was running this morning." She glanced down at her bandaged knee before looking at the two ladies standing on either side of her. "I'm lucky I didn't crush his face in! Herbert never starts there and I was just trying to get away from Sir Charles... he kept wanted to ask me about polo... you _know _I don't play polo. I don't even like horses."

"Oh, come on now, Sir Charles isn't _that_ bad." Gladys waved her off, ignoring the faces Tilly was giving her. "He just gets so tired of his wife chittering on about this or that and the latest fashions… I don't blame him for wanting to talk to the first person who _isn't _her. Sorry it had to be you."

"I wish it wasn't." Raven glanced at her watch and sighed. "I've got to get going. I've got a class in an hour and I need to shower and change."

"Class in the summer?" Gladys seemed appalled. "Don't you ever have a break, dear?"

Raven shrugged. "No. Someone has to pay my bills, and I don't have a fairy godmother."

"And _that _is why you need a husband." Gladys shook her head, sighing. "You need someone who is going to pay for all your bills and take care of you while you take care of the household. That's just the way it needs to be."

"Uh-huh…" Raven shook her head and fought the urge to roll her eyes. _Every time _she talked to Gladys she was like this, talking about how Raven was old and shriveled by now. At least Tilly was a little more progressive. "How about no? I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't need a man trying to do it for me. Thank you very much for your concern though, Gladys."

Gladys seemed put-off by her comment and huffed. "Well, I was just trying to help!"

"I appreciate your help, but I'm fine on my own… I promise." Raven forced a smile and moved toward the entrance to the cemetery, trying to put distance between her and the ladies that seemed determined to talk about her life. There was no need to put her in the middle of everything. "I really have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Oh, that's right. Tomorrow is Saturday!" Tilly's eyes brightened. "Are you reading to the children again?"

Raven nodded. "I picked up _Peter and Wendy_ to start tomorrow."

Tilly grinned and clasped her hands together in front of her in excitement. "Oh, they will love that! I will let Delilah Jenson know so she can stop by to hear you read. She gets so upset sometimes that she is forced to be around the older folks."

"Teenagers." Gladys huffed. "Those aren't children."

"They're not adults either." Raven bit back a scathing comment, reminding herself that Gladys was married off at the age of 16. She was just a child herself, even if the rest of the world didn't see it that way. "Anyway, tell Delilah that she's more than welcome to come by and read with me. I will be glad to see her again."

"Good. I will see you tomorrow, Raven."

"Bye, Tilly. See you later, Gladys!"

"Have a good day at school, dear!"

Raven ran down the sidewalk back to her apartment, feeling a heavy spot start to form in her stomach. If Herbert was going to be gone for the next few weeks, how in the world was she going to keep her promises and her secrets at the same time? She glanced back over her shoulder, hoping that Jason didn't realize that her best friends were dead.

)O(

_I don't know how much I'm going to keep up on this one, since I already have a ton of unfinished stories, but I'd like to keep up on it. So, after rediscovering some hidden, historical neighborhoods in my area this came to me, and I couldn't let it go without a little work. I don't know how long it will be, but I'd like to flesh it out as much as I can. _

_Anyway, let me know what you think. Thanks again for reading. _


	2. Chapter Two

**Hellfire Club  
**Chapter Two

)O(

Raven threw her bag on her desk and fell into her chair, heaving a sigh as she stared at the brown water stain on the aging drop ceiling. It had been there as long as she remembered, and despite of her complaints to the maintenance department, it stayed above her head, looming like a brown rain cloud. She kicked off her high heels and rubbed the pads of her feet through her nylon stockings, grimacing as she remembered her class. She didn't think even one of her students looked up and made eye contact with her or her presentation _once_ during her lecture.

Not that she blamed them all that much. Raven would be the first to admit that she wasn't necessarily the most engaging teacher. In fact, she _really _hated teaching. It was the worst part of her job, but budget cuts at the university had forced her into teaching a few 100-level history classes in conjunction with being the director and curator of the rare book archives and collections as she finished up her PhD.

"You look tired." Kori, her TA, stepped into the room, looking more like a model than a student. Strawberry curls fell over her shoulder as a spattering of freckles covered her tan nose and cheeks. In spite of being incredibly smart and talented in a multitude of different subjects from biology to chemistry to Chinese, Kori had decided to study history for some reason unknown to Raven. Really, who _wanted _to study old, dead people? Oh, right. Raven, the girl who _actually _talked to them.

Raven forced what she knew was a weak and tired smile. "It was just another day in History 101. Talking about the most basic points of American history and they're about as engaged and interested as a bag of mushrooms."

Kori chuckled, her eyes brightening as Raven mentioned one of her favorite subjects, mycology. "Mushrooms _are_ interesting. My favorite show on TV is _The World of Fungus_. Last week I learned that there is a woman growing her own suit of fungus so she can have a 'green' burial and her body will be properly decomposed without worry of her contaminating the environment. Isn't that just fascinating?"

Only Kori. Raven stared at her blankly, letting the silence hang between them before she responded. "You know, if anyone else said that, I don't know if I would believe them."

A blush spread across her cheeks, darkening her freckles as she covered her embarrassment with nervous laughter. "Perhaps you would also find new and interesting topics if you studied subjects other than old, dead people. Both mycology and botany are fascinating subjects, and _also_ require people to study Latin."

Raven's lips twitched as she fought a chuckle and stared at her friend. She couldn't really be mad at Kori. After all, she and Raven had known each other and had been friends for years. But while Kori had taken a more relaxed approach to her university studies (and had taken time off to do the quintessential backpacking trip around Europe), Raven had holed up in the refuge of her studies and powered through her classes, taking as many as twenty four credit hours in a semester. Of course, the thought of running into any more dead people while wandering around Europe (especially those that spoke old, dead languages) made her head hurt.

"Latin isn't as fun as Old English." Raven pushed a few hairs out of her face again and sat up, resting her burning feet on the cool tile. Thank god it was the only class she had this week, now she could finally go home and stop being around other people. At least the live ones anyway.

Kori shook her head and sighed. "Raven, you are the most boring person I know. There are _live _people that are just as interesting as your dead ones hiding between the pages of your history books." She held up her hand when Raven attempted to defend herself, and shook her head. "I don't want to hear your arguments. There are _real, live _people who enjoy talking to you..." Her mind wandered off for a moment before she looked back down at Raven. "That reminds me, how is Garfield?"

Raven sighed and let her head fall into her hands. "Will everyone _please _stop asking about him? We broke up. We're done. We were a _terrible _couple anyway, and I couldn't date him even if I wanted to. You know the whole student-teacher policy in our handbook."

"Raven..." Kori's voice drifted off as she tried to think of something to say. She fidgeted with a stack of papers in her hand, avoiding her friend's frustrated stare and glancing around the office. Her eyes finally settled on the edge of the band-aid, poking out from beneath the hem of Raven's skirt. "Oh no! Are you okay, Raven? Are you hurt? What happened?"

"Huh? Oh, this?" Color filled her face and she desperately began searching for her cell phone to avoid conversation. She wasn't exactly sure why she felt so embarrassed, it wasn't like anything had happened between her and Jason. She had just fallen and he gave her first aid. End of story. Still, thinking about him made her feel strange and a little giddy, like when she had one too many glasses of champagne. It was an utterly ridiculous reaction to a perfectly normal interaction. "Nothing happened. I just fell on my run this morning."

Kori's eyes searched her face, looking for any indication that there was more to the story than her friend was letting on. She pursed her lips and leaned forward. "There's something you're not telling me..."

Raven pretended to search even harder for her cell phone, frowning as it continued to elude her grasp. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"So, who patched you up?"

Raven found her cell phone and began scrolling through her emails, pursing her lips as she tried to avoid the emotions that were swirling around Kori like a storm. She knew something was going on, and if Raven knew anything about her friend, it was that she would use any means necessary to get the dirt on what happened to her knee.

Moments passed, but the silence was quickly broken. Kori gasped and dropped the stack of papers she had been holding onto Raven's desk, the pitch of her voice hitting several octaves higher that Raven thought possible. It was a miracle the windows didn't shatter. "There _is_ something you're not telling me! You _met_ someone."

"He was just a gardener at the cemetery." Raven ignored the ringing in her ears from her friend's squealing. "Nothing happened. He was in my way, I didn't see him, I tripped and I kicked him in the face. That's it. "

Kori's face fell and she sighed. "Oh... just the old gardener again."

"I never said he was old." Raven glanced up at her friend.

"Oh?" Her eyes brightened again, and she sat down in the chair next to the desk. "I just assumed it was Herbert, you're always talking about him and his wife... _wait_." She stopped rambling and held up a hand as she pursed her lips again. She thought for a moment and then pressed her face close to her friend's so she could stare into her eyes. "Are you telling me that you kicked a _young_ man in the face? Was he _cute_?"

Raven fidgeted with her phone, trying to keep some kind of barrier (perceived or otherwise) between herself and her friend. "No comment."

"So he _was _cute. Raven! Why didn't you say anything? We could have gotten together and talked about it! You know, like real 'girl-time'." She shook her head and sighed, closing her vibrantly green eyes. "Was he single? Did he seem interested? I just can't believe you didn't tell me that you met a guy."

"What's there to tell?" Raven finally looked up from her phone, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't _actually_ meet a guy. I kicked him in the face, and then he patched my knee. I left. End of story. You're doing everything in your power to romanticize this encounter, Kori. _Nothing_ happened, except that I busted my knee open and I'm pretty sure I bruised his face with my foot. That's it."

"Oh, Raven..." Kori shook her head and clicked her tongue disapprovingly. "You're so helpless sometimes. You know, he could have been all over you and you would have _no clue_."

Raven rolled her eyes and put her phone back into her bag. It almost felt like Kori was trying to play matchmaker with her again. It worked _so well _with Garfield after all. "No. He wasn't all over me. Trust me, I would have known if he was trying to hit on me." That was a lie. Raven was about as clueless as an innocent schoolgirl. She waved off her friend again. "Besides, I was all sweaty from my run and we were in the cemetery... look, it's nothing to think about. Trust me. It was an accident and everything is going to be back to normal by tomorrow, so let the subject drop."

Kori huffed out a breath of irritated air and let silence hang between them for a moment as she tried to collect her thoughts. Raven felt a shiver travel down her spine. Kori being silent and thoughtful was never a good sign, it meant she was bound to start having "girl talk" any moment. After a few minutes, she managed to speak again.

"Raven, you and I have been friends for a while. Right?"

"You and I have tolerated each other's company for extended periods of time, so yes, I suppose you can call that friendship." She looked over at her friend and raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "Your point being?"

Kori shook her head and sighed, leaning back into the chair she was sitting in. "My point is that... well... how do I put this?" She paused again before continuing. "I love you for who you are, and I know that your studies are important to you, but you're just too young to be holed up behind books and studying old dead guys. You should be out in the world, having adventures, trying new things, maybe even seeing someone by now." She held up her hand before Raven had a chance to protest. "I'm not saying seriously seeing someone, but you should be at least interested in dating. You're sweet and pretty and smart, and yet here you are, curating dusty rare books. You're too young for that."

"You said that already." Raven sighed again and shook her head, aimlessly picking through the papers Kori had dumped on her desk. Was she right? Was she really so wrapped up in her own life that she forgot to live? That statement sounded ridiculously cliché in her own head, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. There was nothing _wrong _with her, except that she had different priorities. And look where those priorities got her: a dream job discovering and collecting rare and antique books at a respected university. She was barely into her mid-twenties and she was already this accomplished. That was all she needed.

She tapped the papers she was holding into a need pile and set them to the side. "I've just never found anyone all that interesting, you know that. Guys just want to take a girl out for drinks and schmooze her to get into her pants. I've got better things to do with my time than sit around waiting for someone to sweep me off my feet and try and tame my shrewd ways into the loving housewife." She waved her friend off. "And anyway, you know how busy I am with my work."

Kori crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow. "So busy that you don't even have time to go out on a date?"

"Yes." She returned to the stack of papers, glancing through them for any familiar names. "Are these the request forms from this week?"

"You're changing the subject."

"You're not letting the subject drop." Raven glanced up at her, lips tugging down into a frown. "I'm done talking about it, but you seem to want to keep hanging on as if I'll make some sudden revelation that I need the almighty penis in my life to make me happy."

Kori shrugged, finally giving up her fight. "Couldn't hurt."

Raven chuckled, and continued to rifle through the pages.

"Knock knock."

Raven glanced up at the sound of a deep, even voice breaking her silence. In front of her stood a tall, broad shouldered man with salt and pepper hair, and an eye-patch covering a gnarled right eye. Raven jumped out of surprise and quickly shoved her shoes back on her feet, trying to keep an air of professionalism, as her stack of applications went flying around the office.

Biting back a curse, she dropped to her knees and picked up what she could before returning to look at him. Strange, she normally heard people coming from two halls away. The hallway leading to her secluded office had possibly the worst acoustics on the entire campus.

"Good afternoon. I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting visitors at this time of day during the summer. Most people tend to be doing more interesting things." She smoothed out her pencil skirt and forced a small smile as she stood up, hands filled with a messy pile of applications.

His returning smile was thin and awkward, reminding Raven more of a slash made by a dagger than a smile. "I apologize if I startled you, young lady, I was told that the office would be open until at least three this afternoon."

"Oh, it is." Raven set the pile of papers on her desk, trying to decide if she should step back and give herself more space between him. Something about his countenance threw her off. It was as if his entire being sucked up the energy of the small office, replacing it with something dark and heavy. Raven cleared her throat and drew herself to her full and unimpressive height. "I'm Miss Roth. Is there something I can help you with today?"

"_Miss _Roth?" He scoffed at her slightly, before recovering his misplaced poise under Raven's heavy stare. "I'm sorry if I seem rude, _Miss _Roth, but I was anticipating on meeting with the curator of rare books for the university. I assumed _he _would be here this afternoon."

Raven was not stupid enough to miss his particular emphasis on '_he_'. That's right, she was _just_ a woman, and she should be hiding at home in the kitchen, not holding a position of power at a university. She crossed her arms over her chest and continued to stare at him, pursing her lips. "I am Professor Roth, the curator of rare and antique books for the university. Is there something I can help you with, Mr...?"

"Ah. Wilson, Professor Roth, Slade Wilson." He forced a small smile, and reached out to shake her hand. "I apologize if you were offended, please understand that I mean no disrespect, but you must admit that you are rather _young_ to be holding a title of honor and be in charge of such an important part of the university."

Raven fought the urge to gnash her teeth, and instead managed to keep her face blank. "Age has nothing to do with determination, Mr. Wilson." She steeled herself against the push of energy from him, refusing to let him think that he could ever hold power over her. "I see no reason to defend myself to you, but I can guarantee that I am perfectly capable in my position as director. Now, is there something I can help you with?" She repeated herself, a little louder.

His lips pursed, as if he was fighting back a remark that was meant to injure, but he kept his words to himself. "I was hoping to take a look at a book you currently have in your collection."

"I see. And, have you submitted an application?" Raven broke eye contact with him and moved to the messy stack of applications on her desk, putting them neatly into a pile. "You must understand that these are precious and rare artifacts that we have at the university, and some of the books under my care are one-of-a-kind. We don't let simply anyone handle them without proper authorization. If you wish to look at any of the books we have in our possession, you must fill out an application."

"Ah..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few crisp hundred dollar bills, forcing a smooth smile down at her. "I'm sure you can make an exception for one measly book. It's not even that special. I'm sure no one asks to view it."

Raven pressed her lips into a thin line, looking from the bills in his hand back to his face. She had never had anyone try and bribe her before. Not to look at a bunch of old books that were free to read. Something about this man made her skin crawl and her fight-or-flight response kick into overdrive. She forced a small smile, trying to keep him from realizing that he frightened her.

"I'm sorry, but rules are rules, Mr. Wilson. If you wish to examine the items in our possession, then you have to fill out an application just like everyone else." She reached into her desk drawer, old wood squealing as it opened, and pulled out a blank form. "I will process applications in the order in which I receive them. I should have an answer and have an appointment set up for you within seven days of receiving the application."

"Mm. I see. Thank you for your time anyway, _Miss_ Roth. I will make sure that we keep in touch." He snatched the paper from her hand and stepped out of the office, mumbling curses and rude comments under his breath as he stalked down the hall.

Raven let loose a shiver she didn't know she had been holding. Heaven help her if she ever had to see him again.

Kori stared at his retreating form and then back at Raven. "Weird."

"You're telling me. That guy gave me serious creeps." Raven paged through the rest of the applications for a moment before glancing up at the utilitarian clock on the wall. It felt like her energy had been drained completely from her body, leaving something cold and hollow in its wake. She pressed her fingers to her forehead and reached for her bag. "It's almost three, Kori. Let's just call it a day and go home."

"You sure?"

"Yes. I don't have any more appointments for today, and I have some studying to do." Raven repacked her bag, throwing a few things into its depths as she tried to block out the feelings that man had left her with. "I'll see you on Monday."

"Come out with me tonight, Raven!" Kori grabbed her friend's hand before she could leave. "Richard and I are going to that new restaurant down by the river. You know, the one that used to be an old train station? It would be nice if you came out and had dinner with us. I mean, he's your friend too, you know."

Raven forced a small smile, trying to think of any excuse to _not _be there, but she came up blank. Not that it mattered, she usually caved against Kori's enthusiasm anyway. "Okay. I'll come out with the two of you tonight. What time are we meeting?"

"Yay!" Kori giggled. "We'll see you there at eight! I'm so excited."

Raven grimaced. "Yeah. Me too."

)O(

_So, I'm trying a new thing with a few stories where I have shorter chapters but quicker updates. Anyway, let me know what you think!_


	3. Chapter Three

**Hellfire Club  
**Chapter Three

)O(

Raven buried her nose into her menu, trying desperately to block out the noise and chaos around her (including the senseless and boring relationship chatter from her two friends). She pushed at her hair, and bit back an audible growl. It was busy, not that she expected it to be otherwise, after all it was the swanky new restaurant _and_ Friday, but she didn't think she would have to shout to be heard over the clatter of patrons around her and the ambient techno playing through whatever silence there might have been. Annoyed with trying to read through the bizarre names of the food and the type of process used to cook them, she folded her menu and tuned out the sound of her companions planning their weekend, glancing around the room.

The walls were exposed century-old brick, accented by modern-looking up-lights and modern art framed in gold, filigree frames. Above her, the ceiling was reminiscent of some long-forgotten European church as a complicated network of Gothic arches webbed throughout the restaurant, supported by exposed wooden beams, with strange, modern light fixtures cascading down between them. All-in-all, it looked like someone had tried to take an Ikea catalogue and Victorian opulence and shove them together into a restaurant that served French-Asian fusion.

She hated it.

Raven certainly wasn't known as the kind of person who was always looking for the "next big thing" or any other kind of fad that was sure to fade away in a few years. She was practical, down-to-earth, and liked things like cheese pizza and waffles (although not necessarily together). Being in a restaurant that catered to everything "hip" was not exactly her idea of a great night out. In fact, it wasn't her idea of _any_ night out. But, she loved her friends, and she would do practically anything they asked.

Biting back another sigh, she tapped her fingers on the table and leaned forward against her arms, pretending to be interested in whatever senseless chatter was going on between Kori and Richard.

"The mountains are nice and all, Dick... but we were there last year. I want to go somewhere I haven't been... like the beach!" Her eyes lit up and she reached out to grab his arm with unusual force. "We haven't been to the beach before. I think it would be so much fun to go to the beach this summer... even Raven can come along." She batted her big, green eyes at him, and Richard shifted uncomfortably under the weight of her stare.

"Nope." Raven raised her hand, effectively stopping any more planning that included her. If she had to spend an extensive amount of time with both of her friends, she might actually kill one of them. "I am staying out of this, you keep me as far away from this conversation as you possibly can." She raised an eyebrow and looked at both of her friends who offered sheepish chuckles. "I am not going to be caught in the middle when this turns into a lovers spat."

"Well... I..." Richard shifted in his seat and glanced back at Kori before turning to look towards Raven for any kind of help. "Come on, Rae... you can't leave me like this."

"I can, and I will. I've told you two before that I won't put up with your nonsense if I can avoid it." She shook her head, knowing exactly what would happen if she stepped in between the two of them during a fight: the world would implode and she would be the one left staring at the remnants. "I gave both of you fair warning when you started dating that I was not a messenger or a counselor."

"But..."

"Nope. No buts." She stood up and stepped away from the table, nearly toppling over a poor busboy in her fervent quest to avoid any confrontation between the two of them and her. "I am going to the ladies room, and when I return I want us to have a new topic of conversation..." She paused and looked down at the menu. "If the waitress comes just order me whatever sounds the most fun."

Richard looked almost panicked without his best friend by his side, but Raven had no sympathy. After all, he was the one who started dating Kori. He should have known what he was getting himself into a year ago.

"I'll be back in a second. Don't kill each other or destroy anything while I'm gone, okay?" With that, she turned around quickly and headed through the dining area toward the west side of the restaurant.

It wasn't that she didn't like being the third wheel on a date, in fact most of the time it didn't even feel like a date, it was more like three friends hanging out together. But there was something about the way the two of them interacted that made Raven uncomfortable. Sometimes they were so open and transparent with each other and the world around them, that it was like Raven could see right into the intricate workings of their relationship, and into something deeper and baser on the inside. Staring into whatever it was made her heart tighten in a way that she couldn't explain. Like staring at something that was both awesome and terrifying at the same time.

Raven finally let go of a sigh she didn't know she had been holding and made her way through the maze of white and glass tables into the bar towards the back of the restaurant. It was just as dark and upscale there as it was in the dining room, except that a long, glass bar snaked through the room. Objects from the Victorian era were displayed proudly under the glass, making the whole room look more like a museum from the future than an actual bar.

"Fancy seeing you here."

She jumped and turned to see a familiar smirk hiding in a corner at the edge of the bar. Dirt was smudged across his forehead and caught under his fingernails, and his cheeks had tanned even darker during the harsh late-spring sun, but she would recognize that face anywhere. He looked strange in his jeans and tee-shirt, mixed in with the cocktail dresses and three-piece suits, but Raven wasn't going to complain. Just because he wasn't wandering around like some hipster yuppie didn't mean that he was any less attractive.

_Damnit, Tilly_. Now she was thinking about him being attractive _and _shirtless. Great.

She hid her blush in the shadows of the room and forced a polite smile on her lips, hiding all evidence that she might have been thinking about him half-naked. "Oh! Mr..." Her voice trailed off into the noise of the room, had he even told her his last name?

"Just Jason." He chuckled. "I don't think I'm mature enough to be called 'mister' anything." He motioned to the empty seat next to him, giving her a small smile. "Care for a drink?"

"Oh... I..." Another blush worked its way up her neck as she heard Tilly's words echo through her ears again._ Sometimes it just gets _too hot _for his shirt. _

She cleared her throat and shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. I'm here with some of my friends tonight, I wouldn't want them to think I was leaving them high and dry to flirt..." The color on her cheeks deepened as the word 'flirt' left her lips. That was not at all what she meant to say. "I mean to _talk_ with someone else. It would seem rude."

"Ah. I see." He turned away from her and stared forward, past the bar and towards the blank wall at the back. A moment passed between them before he finished his thoughts. "Just as well anyway. I've got some friends coming by in a little bit, and I wouldn't want them to think I'm being rude either."

"Oh..." She shifted uncomfortably for a moment, completely confused as to what she was supposed to say next. She'd never been in a situation where she was supposed to flirt and smile and twirl her hair, that was all Kori's expertise. Of course, it wasn't like she _wanted _to flirt with him anyway. "At least let me pay for your tab. After what happened this morning, it's the least I can do for you."

He looked at her from the corner of his eye, lips tugging down into a frown. "No thanks."

Raven jerked back, surprised at his response. "Um. Okay." She rubbed her arm and shifted a little, unsure of how the situation was going and what she could do to salvage it. Wait, did she even _want _to salvage it? "Well, I guess I'll get back to my friends then."

"Sure." He leaned forward against the bar, hands wrapping around his drink glass. He paused and glanced down at her knee, his gaze lingering a little longer than necessary on her legs. "How's your knee, by the way?"

"Oh, it's fine..." Her hand absently slid down the length of her thigh, as if she were going to touch her knee, and his eyes followed the unconsciously sexual movement. Raven blushed again and looked away, pulling her hand back as if she's been burnt. "You patched it up really well, and I appreciate the help you gave me this morning. Thank you."

"Sure. No problem... I'm glad I was able to help." He took a sip of his drink and continued to stare ahead, his mind clearly wandering off somewhere Raven wasn't allowed. He glanced back at her, but continued to keep his guard up. "It looked pretty bad, but as long as it is healing, I guess it's not that big of a deal."

"Right. Thanks." She shifted on her feet again and looked at the side of his face in the dim light, cringing when she saw the dark splotch of skin below his left eye. The dark splotch that looked suspiciously like the size and shape of her running shoes. "Your cheek is starting to bruise. I'm sorry."

He shrugged, as if his injury didn't matter. "Don't worry about it. It's fine. I've had far worse anyway."

Raven didn't know how to process that enigmatic statement.

"Raven?"

She jumped and turned around to look back at Kori, who stood behind her, glancing from Jason to Raven and back again. Kori forced a small smile and wrapped her arm around her friend's arm, pulling her closer to her, as if she was trying to protect her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. We just were worried about you. Is everything okay?" She paused and finally said the words Raven was dreading. "So, who's your friend?"

"Um, this is Jason... he helped me out at the cemetery this morning. When I tripped and fell." She purposefully left out the part that the thing she tripped and fell on was his face. Raven tried to smile and shuffled a little on her feet again, feeling something sour rise up into her chest as she motioned to her friend. "Jason, this is Kori, my best friend."

"Hey." He gave a small wave and flashed a smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Oh! So _you_ helped her out this morning. I see..." Kori nudged her friend's shoulder and let go of her arm, chuckling. "Sorry to interrupt, but I was just curious as to where Raven wandered off to. I can head back to our table and leave you two alone if you want."

Jason's eyes flitted between the two of them before realization seemed to sink in. Color darkened his already tan skin and he pulled back a little in shock. "You thought... oh, no. We were just talking. I've got a date coming in a little bit." He glanced down at his phone, quickly avoiding any more awkward conversations. "She just got here, so I better be going... and you can get back to your dinner."

"Jace!" A girl with dark eyes and bright pink hair, wearing entirely too much makeup, raced from behind Raven and Kori, shoving the dark-haired girl out of the way, and throwing her arms around Jason's neck. She leaned up and pressed her lips to his, before pulling back and smiling. "I haven't seen you in ages! I missed you so much! How are you doing? How's the new job? Did you miss me?"

Raven felt color rise up in her face as she realized what a fool she must have looked like. She quickly turned around, blocking out the sound of the girl's high-pitched, shrill laughter and heading back out the way she came. Kori's hand tightened on her shoulder as they walked out of the room, and Raven was desperately trying to keep her embarrassment from showing on her face (but failing miserably). There were so many reasons as to why she avoided men all together, and this was one of them. In spite of her awkward attempts to try and make conversation, she had been pushed aside by some pink-haired bimbo with pigtails.

_Stop this. She could have been really nice girl. Besides, you weren't all that interested in him anyway, _Raven chastised herself. She needed to stop being so judgmental. She had no interest in him and Jason had no interest in her, and no amount of awkward flirting was going to change that. She was _fine_ with her books and her studies.

"You okay?" Kori's hand tightened on her shoulder.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Raven tried to force a nonchalant smile, keeping any emotion from showing in her eyes. "Just another wonderful Friday night in a busy bar."

Kori's lips twitched as if she were going to say something else, but she chose to leave the subject alone and continued their conversation on which beach she wanted to visit. Raven let her prattle on for a moment before turning around to look at Jason. His hands were wrapped around the petite girl's waist and he was whispering something into her ear. Raven blushed again and quickly left the room before she even had the possibility of embarrassing herself more.

)O(

Jason frowned as he watched Raven leave, trying to keep himself from enjoying the view of her backside. He had to admit that all that running certainly made her ass look _amazing_, especially in that skin-tight pencil skirt. Jinx muttered something lewd in his ear and he forced a laugh out of habit, tugging on one of her pigtails.

Raven turned around and he caught her stare for a moment, watching as a blush spread across her round cheeks. Guilt whipped through him and he dropped his hands from Jinx's waist.

Okay, that was kind of low of him. He shouldn't have lead her on like that. But, it wasn't as if he was _actually_ flirting with her, she just happened to be there and he was bored and she looked kinda cute, like a lost kitten or something. He leaned back on his heels and let Jinx drone on about one of their mutual friends as he watched Raven leave. He should try to apologize next time he saw her, he really _didn't _mean to embarrass her.

"Are you even _listening_ to me?"

He flashed her a smile. "Of course, hun. I always listen to you."

Jinx rolled her eyes. "Nice to see you haven't changed in a few months." She plopped down on the barstool and ordered some expensive drink swinging her legs around to touch his. Her ankle slid up the inside of his pant leg, reminding him of the real reason he had asked her to come out. She licked her lips and gave a slow, almost evil smile. "So, how was the cage this time? You stayed a little longer than usual."

Jason stared into the amber color of his drink and shrugged. "I don't wanna talk about it, if you don't mind."

Jinx (whose real name he never bothered to learn), pouted and turned to fully face him, flashing her pink panties at him. "Awe, you're no fun, Jace. I haven't seen you in ages and you're all mister serious-pouty-face. Hmph. Don't you know how to treat a lady right? You should at least indulge in her conversation and curiosity once in a while."

He raised an eyebrow and leaned back against the wall behind him, letting his stare darken. "I didn't call you out here for conversation, Jinx. You know that."

She sighed and stared down into her own drink. "I know." She glanced back at him. "I just wish once you might actually see me as more than just a good fuck."

"I never said you were good." He slammed the rest of his drink and put the empty glass on the counter. Something sour rose up in him, and suddenly his mind was filled with the image of Raven writhing beneath him and not Jinx. Color flooded his face and he took a step back, trying to figure out where the _fuck _those images had come from. His heart pounded against his ribs, and he fought against the irrational feeling of panic rising inside of him. He glanced from Jinx to the door Raven had walked out of and back again, trying to wipe his mind clean.

Scrambling for some semblance of sanity, he ordered another drink and downed it in one gulp, letting fire coat the inside of his body. It was the booze thinking for him, that was all. That's what it _had _to be. He grabbed Jinx's hand and headed for the bathroom, trying to do whatever it took to get that stupid, weird, creepy girl out of his head.

)O(

_I waffled with this chapter a little, which explains the delay in posting.  
Thanks a bunch to my Beta, __**Jezebel V Sterling **__for talking me off the ledge and back into cohesive thought._

_Anyway, please let me know what you think._


	4. Chapter Four

**Hellfire Club  
**Chapter Four

)O(

Raven sat at the small cafe table in her kitchen and stared out the window as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes, letting her mind wander for a moment. Early morning sun filtered through the leaves of the old elm tree next to her window, casting delicate, lace-like patterns across her table and her white mug. Three floors below her, she watched as an elderly couple and their two bichon-frises walk by. They glanced up and waved at her, smiling. Raven smiled back, wishing that the stillness of this Saturday morning would last forever.

Last night had been _interesting_, to say the least. Raven didn't really know what she had expected out of the interaction between her and Jason, but it was certainly not _that_. She sighed and leaned back in her small, sturdy chair, and stared blankly out the window again. It wasn't as if he'd been rude or mean to her, he was simply... _detached_, as if he just didn't care about anything. And while she didn't necessarily expect him to be friendly with her (or wanted it for that matter), she at least expected some amount of social propriety.

The whole interaction was just odd.

Stoker, her cat, jumped up on the table and pushed his head under her empty hand, forcing her mind out of the blankness of her reverie. She scowled down at him, but he was unperturbed, and continued running his head along her arm, purring loudly.

"You're unusually needy this morning." Raven's fingers absently found his favorite spot behind his left ear and scratched, once again letting her mind wander off as she paged through the book in front of her, rereading some of her favorite passages.

A few years ago she had been reading in a quieter section of the cemetery (some of the older parts tended to be tightly packed with headstones, which of course meant more visitors for Raven), when the ghost of small child had crawled into her lap and demanded that she read to him. She was completely taken aback and stared down at him, trying to figure out if he was serious or not. He just pouted up at her, hands grabbing for the small pamphlet in her hands, crying out. And then, without any real understanding as to why, she started to read to him.

It was dry, boring reading, something specifically about the history of the old local sanatorium that one of her professors had written years ago, and she had half expected the child to have a temper tantrum and storm away, but he hadn't. Timmy sat there, sucking his thumb and asking what certain words were and if there were any pictures. When Raven was done he looked up at her and asked for a story about pirates next time.

She couldn't really deny him such a simple request, and the next Saturday she returned with _Treasure Island. _From then on, Raven spent every Saturday morning in the children's section of the cemetery, reading a book. Often times parents would come and sit with their children, or adults from other sections of the cemetery would come by and listen to her read, and once in awhile she had live children sit next to her and listen. But, rain or shine, she sat outside by the statue of the angel and read.

Stoker yowled and plopped across her book, yanking Raven from her memories. She blinked the images from her eyes and stared down at her cat as his paws reached out to play with the tag of the tea bag dangling from her mug. She picked up her mug and walked back towards the kitchen, dropping it into the sink.

"I'm going to be out all morning, so you'll have to be good for me today. Which means no tormenting the dog that lives across the alley."

Stoker picked up his head and made a look that said "I make no promises" and rolled over on his other side, closer to the stream of sunlight coming in through the window. Raven rolled her eyes and moved into her bedroom, dressing quickly. She pulled a jacket on over her shoulders and picked up her worn copy of _Peter and Wendy,_ shoving it into her pocket.

"I'll be back after noon, Stoker. Watch the house while I'm gone."

Her cat raised his head again and meowed before laying back down.

"Whatever. Lazybones." Raven rolled her eyes and headed out the door and down the stairs to the winding, brick alley that lined the side of her turn-of-the-century apartment building. Dark, threatening rain clouds were starting to roll in from the west, but Raven wouldn't be deterred. She would make sure that she got at least the first two chapters in for the kids.

"Morning, Raven."

"Morning, Victor." She glanced over her shoulder and waved at her neighbor, who was taking out his trash. Raven had to admit that the first time she met Victor, she was frightened of him. He towered over her, all broad shoulders and muscles, with a voice loud enough to topple buildings. But it turned out he was nothing more than a gentle giant. He was always looking out for her on her morning run, and he was usually the first person she greeted each morning. "What are you up to this morning? Aren't you usually at the cemetery by now?"

He shrugged, looking a little sheepish as he kicked at a stray stone in his path. "Well... um... you see..." He rubbed the back of his head and forced a small chuckle. "I kinda forgot to request the day off and it's Karen's birthday today, and I didn't want to let her down or make her think I forgot... so... well, I called in sick..." Color darkened his face. "The new guy had to come in today, so I don't think he's going to be in a great mood or anything. In fact, I think he's probably going to be pretty pissed. Please don't tell him that I'm playing hookie. He'll kill me."

Raven felt color rise to her face and she stepped back in surprise. "Jason is going to be there today?"

"Yeah... did you meet him already? Wait a second. Hang on..." A grin split his lips and he laughed heartily, the sound echoing through the small alley like soft thunder. "That was _you_, wasn't it? Yesterday? You're the girl who kicked him right in his smug face. You know he's got a black eye because of it..."

He clutched his stomach and continued to laugh. "Oh, that's rich. Freakin' hilarious. That guy's been a pain in my ass since he started. Don't get me wrong or anything, he's a good worker and keeps the cemetery looking nice, but he's just... I don't know, quiet. He keeps to himself a lot, and he's kind of a smartass too. It's just nice to know that someone finally managed to put his feet back on solid ground."

Raven forced an awkward chuckle, trying to hide her blush. "Sounds like he's right up your alley."

"Awe, come on, I'm only a smartass to you. And it's 'cause you deserve it, Miss Smarty Pants." He patted her shoulder and chuckled some more. "You gonna be in the children's cemetery again to read to the kids again?"

"Yes. I do every Saturday."

"It looks like rain."

Raven shrugged, undeterred. "I'm still going."

He sighed and gave her the look that reminded her of a big brother. "You do realize that they're dead, right? They're not going to miss you if you don't show up for _one_ weekend. It'll be okay if you sleep in past nine sometimes, I promise."

Raven just raised an eyebrow and shook her head.

Victor rolled his eyes, but knew when to pick his battles with her. "Well... in any case, I'm sure you'll see Jason there. You can give him another black eye if you feel so inclined, it might actually do him some good and knock some sense into him." He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back on his heels, staring at her with another smile. "You really should have seen his face yesterday when he had to say something to the office. He was so damned embarrassed that you got the jump on him, he almost tried to say that he got into a bar fight. He's never going to live this down."

Raven blushed again, shifting on her feet. "I didn't _mean _to kick him. It's just that Herbert never starts by the south path, and I wasn't expecting someone to be there... it just... _happened_. I feel awful about it."

"Don't." Victor shook his head and smiled. "He deserved to be taken down a few pegs anyway. You did the rest of us a favor, trust me."

"Well, he didn't deserve to be kicked in the face." Raven fidgeted with the worn paperback in her hand. "Is there something I can do to apologize? I mean, I kicked him in the face and then he patched me up."

Victor's eyebrows knitted together as he stared at her. "Patched you up? Did you get hurt or something?"

"Well... when I tripped on his face I skinned my knee." Raven shrugged, avoiding Victor's concerned stare. "It's not a big deal. We argued for a second, and then he cleaned and bandaged my knee up. He didn't _have _to do it, and I should at least thank him and apologize for kicking him in the face."

"Huh..." He looked down at her for a minute, expression a mixture of confusion and surprise. "That doesn't sound like him, but then again, I guess I don't know him all that well anyway..." He trailed off, still staring at her. "Well, he isn't worth the trouble in my opinion, but it's your money, Rae." He seemed to think for a moment before responding to her. "You know, he always complains about that damn coffee he picks up from the Over Easy diner."

Raven winced. She'd had the misfortune of tasting that sludge once, and never again. "That coffee is terrible. Don't get me wrong, the muffins are good, but the coffee is the worst I've ever tasted. How can he drink that crap?"

"I don't know. All coffee tastes bad to me." He shrugged. "Anyway, if you're looking for something nice, that might be where to start."

"Well, thanks for the tip... I'll keep that in mind." She glanced at her phone and frowned. "It's getting late. I'm sure Karen wouldn't appreciate the fact that you're late."

"Don't remind me. I've still got to find her a birthday gift."

Raven shook her head and started for the street. "Well, you better get on that."

"I know." He waved at her. "See ya later, Rae."

"Bye!" Raven returned his wave and stepped onto the street, turning down the tree-lined sidewalk towards the coffee shop. It was an unusually quiet morning, especially for the last dregs of spring before summer, but with the clouds hanging low in the sky, it wasn't a surprise. The sky was going to open up soon, and while Raven knew she would have been caught in the storm, she also knew that her friends still expected to see her. It was the only kind of human interaction many of them had.

And maybe Jason would…

She stopped her thoughts, nearly tripping over her own feet on the sidewalk. Why in the world was she thinking about him? She certainly didn't have any kind of feelings for him, other than the obvious annoyance, and he had made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with her other than cordial interaction. So, why was she thinking about him like she was some silly school girl?

"Miss Roth."

Raven's hands stilled on the smooth brass handle of the brightly colored coffee shop, cursing herself for being so caught up in her own thoughts to be completely oblivious to people and things around her. She turned around slowly, locking her gaze onto salt and pepper hair before looking down into a single, gray eye staring at her.

"Good morning."

A shiver traveled down her spine and Raven stood straight, trying to make herself look more imposing than she was. "Mr. Wilson, good morning."

"Ah, you remember me?"

"It was only yesterday." Raven pulled open the door and rushed inside, praying he wouldn't follow her inside. Of course he did. Because it was too much to ask for a quiet Saturday morning.

"Why don't I get your coffee for you, Miss Roth? It's the least I can do."

She turned and raised an eyebrow, feeling her anger bubble up into her chest before she had a chance to stop it. "For _what_, Mr. Wilson? Forgive me for being rude, but you owe me no favors and I do not wish to be indebted to you. Besides, I'm _perfectly_ capable of purchasing my own coffee."

His lips twitched as if he were fighting a bout of profanity, and he forced a smile instead. "Forgive my own rudeness, Miss Roth. I'll remember that from here on out." He quickly ordered a plain, black coffee and rushed out the door, barely giving her a second glance as he dropped the paper cup into the trash bin outside.

Raven bit back a curse and ordered the coffee for Jason, fighting back an alien feeling of revulsion. She wasn't sure exactly what it was about Mr. Wilson that made her feel slimy and sick, after all he was just another human being, but Raven knew that she wanted absolutely _nothing_ to do with him. At all.

The bright-eyed blonde behind the register tried to make small talk as she poured Raven's coffee, but she had no desire to try and pretend to care. Moments passed with mumbled responses, until the paper cup was place in front of her and Raven could leave. She forced a small smile at the blonde and headed for the door, taking extra precautions to make sure that the coast was clear before she stepped outside.

The cemetery was eerily quiet this morning as she walked in, past the stone and iron gates, and the only sound that stirred the air was a weed-whacker buzzing somewhere on the other side of the hill. Ignoring the strange feeling of worry and fear stirring in her stomach, she popped into the small gardener's shed and wrote a quick note, tucking it under the cup she left on the old work bench. With that she raced out of the shed and towards the children's cemetery.

)O(

Jason cursed up a storm as he trodded up the hill toward his shed. Sailors would have blushed at the words coming out of his mouth, but no one could really blame him for his attitude. After all, it was Saturday morning, and he should have been sleeping in, grabbing a greasy breakfast, and then spending the afternoon working on his motorcycle and drinking beer. That was his plan for the weekend, and instead he had to get called into work because Victor was "sick". Jason knew that was the biggest pile of crap he heard all morning.

Throwing open the door he walked into the small stone shed and started putting his tools away as quickly as he could. He'd managed to get all of his work done before noon, so all he had to do was fill out the checklists for the day, write his time on his time card, and then get the hell out of here. Jeez, when he took this job, he didn't think that he would have gotten the worst shifts and the worst treatment.

Oh, right. Seniority.

He sighed and stared down into his rusted shears, wiping dirt from the blade. It was just the same, anyway, it was his karmic penance for what he'd done, and he needed to accept that. He ran a ran through his hair and let his mind wander back to his life a few months ago, the sights and smells flooding his memories until reality faded away into the echoes of the past; the noise of room, the feeling of being a caged animal.

His chest restricted, as if his lungs had suddenly forgotten how to breathe, and he struck the images from his mind. There were more interesting (and significantly less frightening) things to think about right now. He tossed a pair of shears down into the holding bin underneath the small workbench that lined the far wall. Standing up, he saw the cup sitting on the worn, uneven surface like a little white pillar. Jason jerked back a bit in surprise and looked around, as if expecting to see someone else coming in through the shed. Under the bottom there was a small note

_I heard you were drinking the Over Easy sludge. Consider this a thank you and an apology. - R_

Something weird and uncomfortable bubbled up in his chest as he reached for the cup. He wasn't used to having things done for him, at least not for the past few years, and color rose into his face at the small act of kindness. He took a sip of the coffee and smiled. It was good. _Really_ good. It had the faint note of chocolate and cherries hiding under the dark roast of the coffee. And it was still warm, which meant that she couldn't be far.

He quickly finished what was left to do in the sed, placing his tools back where they belonged and writing his time out on his sheet. He grabbed his coffee and his cell phone, and stepped out of the shed looking around for any sign of "R". She couldn't have gone far, not if the coffee was this warm. He looked around the neatly lined headstones and felt strangely bereft when he didn't see her. Stupid feeling, he knew that, but he didn't feel right accepting a gift without at least thanking her. Of course, she _had _kicked him in the face, so this was also kind of a repayment.

Sipping his new favorite coffee, he moved around the cemetery, examining his work, when he caught the soft sound of a voice traveling on the wind.

"'Of all the delectable islands the Neverland is the snuggest and most compact; not large and sprawly, you know, with tedious distances between one adventure and another, but nicely crammed.'"

That was her voice. As if he would forget the sound hissing at him as they both tumbled ass over tea kettle on the pavement. His feet stopped at the edge of the cemetery, looking out at his red bike parked on the other side of the street. All he had to do was cross that two lane road and he would be done for the day. He could go home, relax, and have a beer. Exactly what he should have been doing this afternoon.

But, he really _should_ thank her for the coffee. After all, it was the polite thing to do.

He followed the sound of her deep, raspy voice back through the headstones until he came upon the children's cemetery, the small headstones peppering a much prettier part of the cemetery. Large, ancient oak trees reached up the the sky and spread out over the green grass and brightly colored annuals. It was such a beautiful place, but it held such terrible energy, knowing that these lives had been cut so short.

Raven sat at the foot of a pale-white angel statue with open arms, reading aloud from a worn paperback book in her hands. She glanced up at him, her voice skipping for a moment, before she returned to the book.

"'Yes, he is rather cocky,' Wendy admitted with regret."

Jason's lips twitched to the side as he fought a smirk trying to spread across his lips as he watched her. There was something rhythmic about her voice. She wasn't cartoonish and did "voices" when she read out loud, but her cadence was soft and even. Patterned and patient. Jason plopped down at the base of a tree, coffee in hand and listened to her speak as if he had nothing better to do this day.

It felt like hours passed until Raven looked up from the book. "That's all for today. I'll be back next week and we will see what happens between Peter and Captain Hook." She closed the book and sat there for a moment, looking at the headstones as if she expected one of them to move closer to her, similar to how a teacher sat after reading a book to her class. Finally, she stood up, moving through the headstones to where Jason sat.

He didn't move from his spot, but stared up at her from under the tree. "You read to dead people? During a potential storm?"

Raven's lips pursed slightly, obviously irritated with his comment. "They're just children. They didn't ask for their fate to befall them." She took a deep breath as if she were trying to calm herself down, and tapped her fingers on the book cover as she looked down at his hands. "I see you got the coffee I left."

"Yeah... it's really good. Where's it from?"

"New Grounds. Just a little ways away from the cemetery. It's so close, I'm surprised that you haven't been there before."

He shrugged and stood up, invading her space a little. "I'm a creature of habit."

"Oh." Her soft smile faded at his proximity, and she put the book in her back pocket as if she needed something to do with her hands to avoid confronting his closeness. "Vic said you were drinking Over Easy's terrible, stale coffee. I would go to Over Easy for the muffin and then to New Grounds for the coffee."

"I'll keep that in mind." His face fell a little at the mention of his co-worker. "Wait, you talked to Vic this morning?" He tried to find the energy to be mad, but something inside him said it was pointless. He got a free cup of good coffee and it wasn't as if there was anything important that needed to do today. So, it was as close to a win as he was going to get.

"I wasn't supposed to tell you..." She blushed, covering her mouth with her hand. "I am so sorry, it's just-"

"Don't worry about it," he cut her off and shrugged. "I'm trying hard to feel upset, but it's not that big of a deal. I wasn't really going to do much of anything this weekend anyway, so no worries. Besides, now he owes me a favor." He glanced down at his phone and looked back at her. "So, my shift is over... do you want to grab lunch or something?"

Raven looked back at him, looking like a deer in headlights. "Lunch?"

"Yeah." He laughed, leaning back on his heels. "The two of us go out and we eat food together, and maybe we talk about some things. It's a fairly common concept, I thought maybe you might be aware of it..."

His humor seemed lost on her and her eyes narrowed. "Vic was right, you are smug."

He laughed again. "He just doesn't get my particular brand of humor. Not my problem."

"Mm..." She glanced around the headstones as if she was looking for something, before looking back at him. "I guess I can go out to eat. I didn't really have breakfast this morning."

"Good. Let's go then." He followed her down the gentle slope of the hill and watched her move cautiously through the cemetery, eyes darting from headstone to headstone with a blush on her face. It didn't matter how cute or nice she was, she was so _weird_.

)O(

_Sorry this took considerable longer to update than I anticipated. I had trouble with one of the scenes and then I got distracted, as I so easily do. If it's any consolation, I'm already working on the next chapter. _

_Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think!_


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